Naples, Fl (April 21, 2022). Youth Haven, Inc. is pleased to announce they received a $10,000 grant from The West Bay Community Charitable Foundation, Inc.
The grant received will be utilized to establish a Therapeutic Music Program conducted on Youth Haven’s 18.5-acre therapeutic campus. The children and teens who arrive at our campus have experienced severely traumatic situations. They have been abused, abandoned, neglected, or are homeless. In addition to the on-site counseling they receive, each child and teen participates in our therapeutic programs to assist with their healing process. These programs include but are not limited to art, yoga, and animal-assisted therapy. Hands-on therapy is highly beneficial as the youth can express their feelings and emotions in various ways through different modes.
With this generous funding, we will be able to expand our programs to create a music program. Studies have shown that the implementation of music is hugely beneficial to a youth’s well-being. According to their research, some benefits of music for children include reducing anxiety and stress, ease of pain and discomfort, promotion of positive moods and emotional states, encouragement of bonding and connections, and improvement in memory and cognition. Funding received would be applied to the expense of an external professional music instructor to teach the classes and purchase needed music equipment, including instruments such as a keyboard, guitars, drum pads, maracas, and tambourines, and production equipment such as an iPad Pro and speakers.
Youth Haven is Southwest Florida’s only residential shelter for boys and girls ages 10-19 who have been removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect, abandonment, or homelessness. Our programming is designed to address the trauma experienced and help them heal by providing them with innovative therapies, normalizing experiences, and therapeutic environments that assist with their healing journey.
Founded in 2015, the West Bay Community Charitable Foundation, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) organization committed to strengthening our community by actively fundraising and awarding grants for the benefit of those in need. By graciously sharing time, talents, and knowledge, the West Bay Community Charitable Foundation is known for supporting local non-profits.
“We’re so grateful for the generous support from The West Bay Community Foundation, Inc.,” said Linda Goldfield, Youth Haven Executive Director. “With their support, Youth Haven will be able to establish its music therapy program, helping the children and teens that rely on Youth Haven for Home, Hope, and Healing recover from the trauma they have experienced. Being able to launch our much-needed and wanted music program is an incredible opportunity for our organization.”
For media inquiries, please contact Laura Lafakis, Youth Haven Director of Development, at 239-687-5175 or Laura.Lafakis@youthhavenswfl.org.
About Youth Haven, Inc.
Youth Haven, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit agency, is Collier County’s only emergency and residential emergency shelter for children and teens removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment. In continuous operation since 1972, Youth Haven’s therapeutic campus, located in Naples, Florida, houses 70 youth with a waking staff system that allows for around-the-clock specialized care. Youth Haven provides programs that create transformational change in its youth. Youth Haven is a COA nationally accredited organization, a member agency of the United Way of Collier and the Keys, and a Naples Children & Education Foundation grant recipient. It also holds a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator. Its mission is “To provide Home, Hope, and Healing to abused and neglected children and teens in Southwest Florida.” For more information, please visit youthhavenswfl.org or call 239-774-2904. Follow Youth Haven on social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
###